Beat the Holiday Bustle: Helping Your Dog Feel Calm During the Festive Season

For many of us, December is full of excitement: visitors, decorations, late nights, noise, food, and full calendars.

For our dogs, though, the festive season can feel like a sudden and confusing shift in their world.

Busy households, unfamiliar people, disrupted routines and constant stimulation can all add up and feel overwhelming. The good news? A few thoughtful, behaviour-led changes can make a huge difference to how your dog copes, and help them move through the festivities feeling safe, settled and supported.

Why the festive season can be stressful for dogs

Dogs thrive on predictability. When routines change, environments become noisier, and their personal space is encroached on, their stress levels can quietly rise.

You might notice:

• Restlessness or pacing

• Increased clinginess 

• Barking, jumping or over-excitement

• Difficulty settling or withdrawal

• Changes to their appetite or sleep patterns

These aren’t signs of a “naughty” dog, they’re often signs of a dog trying to cope.

Here are some top tips from Nico, our Canine Behaviourist on how to support your dog

1. A space to decompress

Every dog benefits from having a cosy retreat if they need to remove themselves from the action.

A “safe zone” should be:

• Somewhere quiet and out the way

• Stocked with a comfortable bed or blanket

• Paired with favourite toys or chews

• Ideally away from doorways, parties and foot traffic

Adding gentle background noise (such as a radio, white noise, or calm music) can help soften sudden sounds and create a sense of familiarity and predictability.

Importantly, this space should always be respected. Let your dog choose when to rest there and instruct guests not to interact with them while they’re decompressing.

2. Stick to routines where you can

You don’t need to keep everything rigid, but keeping a familiar rhythm to the day can really help dogs feel grounded, especially when everything else feels busy or unpredictable.

Try to keep the following consistent:

• Walk times

• Meal times

• Bedtime routines
  
  

3. Help Your Dog Navigate Visitors Gently

Not all dogs enjoy being the centre of attention, and that’s fine!

If you’re expecting guests:

• Keep your dog separate from the big meet and greets at the front door

• Allow your dog to observe from a distance

• Avoid forcing greetings

• Let them approach in their own time

A calm introduction is always more successful than a rushed one. Remember not everyone will be mindful of your dog the way you are and may not enjoy the same excitable interactions as other people.

4. Use Enrichment to Take the Edge Off

Mental enrichment is one of the most powerful and underused tools for helping dogs regulate stress.

Chewing, licking and sniffing are naturally calming behaviours. Offering enrichment during busy moments can help your dog self-soothe and stay settled.

Great options during festivities include:

• Chew items

• Lick mats

• Puzzle feeders

• Scatter feeding or scent games
  
  

Think of enrichment as giving your dog a “job”, something predictable and rewarding to focus on while the world feels noisy.

5. Extra Support When Your Dog Needs It

For some dogs, management and enrichment are enough. For others, particularly those who are sensitive, anxious or easily overwhelmed, a little extra support can help them cope more comfortably.

Omni’s Stress & Anxiety soft chew supplements are vet-formulated with calming ingredients designed to support emotional balance. They’re gentle, non-sedating, and intended to be used alongside good behaviour management, not as a replacement for it.

They can be especially useful during:

• Busy household gatherings

• Fireworks season (consider New Year too)

• Periods of routine disruption
  
  

A Final Thought

A calm festive season for your dog isn’t about perfection; it’s about awareness.

By offering them choice, predictability, enrichment and understanding, you give your dog the best chance to feel safe in a busy environment. And when dogs feel safe, they cope better, settle faster, and can enjoy the season alongside us, in their own way.

If you’re unsure what your dog needs, or you’re seeing signs of ongoing stress, getting tailored advice early can make all the difference. You can get bespoke advice by booking an appointment with our Canine Behaviourist here. If you have any concerns or face any challenges during the Festive season, look to get support in the New Year to help prepare your dog for the next busy period. 

Omni are always here to support you and your dog with advice around nutrition, health and behaviour. We hope to see more of you in 2026!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at Omni.